Hose-protector.



R. DE 0. WEAKLEY.

' HOSE PROTECTOR.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 17, 1909.

l 9 Patented ar.8,19110.

ti'r t RAYMOND on oar/Ir wna'KLnY, on ST. LOUIS, rrrsso'oar.

HOSE-PROTECTOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed. May 17, 1909. Serial No. 496,520.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RAYMOND DE CAMP IVEAKLEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at St. Louis, Missouri, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Hose-Protectors, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactv description, such as will enable others skilled in the artto which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to hose protectors and particularly to that type which is placed on the big toe of a persons foot underneath the hose to preventthe toe or the toe-nail from cutting through the hose. In my prior patent No. 872,394, dated December 3, 1907, I have described a hose protector of this type which consists of a flat piece of flexible material that is adapted to be wrapped around the big toe before the hose is drawn onto the foot. Said protector has proved very satisfactory and has met with universal success,

but I have recently devised a hose protector which I consider an improvement upon the protector described in my prior patent above referred to.

One of the desirable features of my improved hose protector herein shown and described is that it .is completely formed at the time it is purchased by the user so that it can be placed in position quickly on the big toe before the hose is drawn onto the foot.

Another desirable feature of m improved protector is that it will expand or adjust itself to different sized toes. other desirable feature is that it contains only the required amount of material to cover the big toe so that it conforms accurately to the shape of the toe and consequently feels comfortable when in use.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a perspective view 1 lustrating one of my improved protectors in operative position; Fi 2 1s a sectional View taken approximate y on the line 22 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken approximately on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the protector; Fig. 5 is a view of the piece of material from which the protector is formed;

and Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 2 show ing a protector that is composed of a plurality of thicknesses of material.

Referring to the drawings which illustrate the preferred form of my present invention, A designates an approximately cup-shaped member which is adapted to be placed upon the big toe of a persons foot And still anbefore the hose is drawn onto the foot. Said member is formed of flexible material, preferably some suitable kind of paper that possesses a great degree of toughness, so that it will be pliable and prevent the toe or the toe-nail from cutting through the hose. It is immaterial, however, so far as my broad idea is concerned what kind of material the member A is made of, and while I have herein stated that it is preferably made of paper I wish it to be understood that it could be formed of various other flexible materials.

The side wall of the member A is crimped, corrugated or provided with a plurality of longitudinally extending plaits 1 which enable said member to expand and thus adjust itself to different sized toes, and some or all of these plaits 1 preferably extend over the end wall 2 of the member A, as shown in Fig. 1. The object of having some or all of the plaits 1 extend over the end wall 2 is to provide several thicknesses of material at that portion of the protector which is subjected to the greatest wear, and also to take up the surplus material and produce Patented ltIaut". a, rain.

an article that is symmetrical and which I will conform to the shapeof the toe on which it is mounted. "While I prefer to have some or all of theplaits 1 extend over the end wall 2, I do notwish it to be understood that-my broad idea is limited to this exact construction, for if desired said plaits could terminate at the point where the side wall of the member A merges into the end wal The member A can either be formed of a single thickness of material, as shown in Fig. 2, or a plurality of thicknessesof material, as shown in Fig. 6. I find in ractice, however, that a single thickness 0 material produces a protector which, if desired, can be worn several days before it becomes damaged to such an extent that it is necessary to discard it.

The member A can be formed in various ways, but I prefer to form it from a disk- 20 every day.

I prefer to crimp, corrugate or plait the side wall of said member I do not wish it to be understood that my broad idea is limited to such a construction, for my broad idea consists in an approximately cupshaped flexible member that is adapted to be placed upon the big toe so as to prevent the toe or the toe-nail from working through the hose or foot covering.

It will, of course, be understood that the protector herein shown, and also the protector described in my prior patent above referred to, are intended to be used for only a short period and then thrown away. Consequently, a protector of this type is perfectly hygienic, and as it is of simple construction it can be manufactured and placed upon'the market at a cost low enough to enable the .person to use a fresh protector Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

A hose protector, consisting of an approximately cup-shaped member formed of tough flexible material and having its side walls bent or crimped so as to form a plurality of longitudinally extending plaits that lap one upon the other, said member being adapted to be worn upon the naked 1 toe underneath the hose so as to prevent the end of the toe or the upper edge of the toenail from cutting through the hose.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature in the presence of two witnesses, :n'

this eleventh day of May 1909.

RAYMOND DE CAMP WEAKLEY. Witnesses:

WELLS L. CHURCH, GEORGE BAKEWELL. 

